About 10.6 million Australians (75% of people aged 15-69 years) worked at some point during the year ending February 2005. Around 7 million of these people worked for the entire year.

At the other end of the spectrum, 3 million people were not in the labour force (i.e. neither worked nor looked for work) for the entire year ending February 2005, according to a publication released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Just over 1.5 million Australians aged 15-69 years looked for work at some time during the year ending February 2005.

Most (57%) of these people spent less than 13 weeks looking for work. About one in twelve of those people who looked for work spent their entire year looking for work.

Men were more likely to be in the labour force than women. About 85% of men were in the labour force at some time in the 12 months to February 2005, compared to 73% of women.

Younger people were more likely to work, or look for work, at some point during the year than older people. Labour force participation for 20-24 year olds was 90% in the year ending February 2005, compared to 69% for 55-59 year olds.

Of the people who worked at some time during the year ending February 2005:

65% worked full-time only (79% of men and 49% of women)

25% worked part-time only (13% of men and 39% of women)

10% worked a combination of full-time and part-time.

Most people who worked at some time during the year ending February 2005 had only one employer during that time (77%). One quarter (25%) of people who worked part-time only had two or more employers during the 12 months, compared to 18% of people who worked full-time only.

Note: In this survey, labour force participation refers to people who either worked or looked for work.

Further information is in Labour Force Experience, February 2005(cat. no. 6206.0).